College Zombie

A Taste for Magic (draft) Chapter 1

2010-12-05T14:51:00.000-08:00

   So, over the life of this blog I've shared many ideas of stories about alien life, adventuring heroines, and other ideas. While I do love all those stories, most of them have become difficult to continue, at least for now. Some of them I've become burnt out on, others were difficult to write, or difficult to progress. I'm sure I'll come back to most of these shelved ideas, but now I'd like to share my current interest.
It's set in another Earth, where magic has always existed, but magic users are rare, and tend to cloister themselves away from the Common Man, which pleases both groups. Their are magical being like spirits and monsters, but they tend to live in areas where manna, a term for magical energy, is abundant. Wizards also tend to locate themselves on rich veins of energy, because spells cannot be cast without manna. If two wizards are battling, each spell they cast drains their surroundings and themselves of manna, until one of them faints of exhaustion. In this world, casting magic is a highly structured process, and spells can only be cast with the correct words, hand movements, and physical ingredients. Schools for teaching the art of magic are also highly structured, and strict. The school does not care what spells a young wizard wants to learn, or what kind of wizard they want to be. The school is training you to be a wizard as they define it, and know certified spells they approve of. So having a uncommon magical talent is not something treasured, but shunned because it gets in the way of standardized spell-casting.
   But enough of my summaries, here is the first chapter!

      Levi panted as he stoked the flames burning inside the stove's huge iron belly. The massive stove was meant to provide heat to the entire kitchen, but today it was only Levi using his Uncle's canteen. The other cooks and staff had been given the day off, and the restaurant closed so Levi could complete his test in private and without distraction.
   It wasn't a cold winter, and it never was this south of the New Continent's western coast, but the large copper pot still needed the extra heat. Levi stared at the pot with a look of intense concentration, as if a burning gaze could make the water boil faster. The noodles would need be added soon, he thought, and then mixed with the perche' sauce...
   The sauce! Levi yelped and rushed to another pot on an opposite counter-top. The thick red sauce was frothing pink foam, and popping with heat. Levi slammed a lid on top of the bubbling perche', but not before being splattered with sauce, freckling his white jacket with bright red spots. Levi turned off the stove's heat, and moved the pan onto a cooler surface. Levi let the mixture calm a bit before he produced a long wooden spoon that was intricately engraved with kelp and small sea creatures, and sampled the cooled sauce. "It needed more pepper," he murmured to himself
   Levi searched for the pepper shaker hidden somewhere in the kitchen, but his personal pepper-shaker of carved redwood and stylized with designs of strange forest spirits was not in it's usual spot next to a rather plain, and obviously unused glass salt shaker. As Levi patrolled the cream-colored marble counter-tops for the pepper-shaker, he became alerted to the the soft coughing sound of the boiling pot of water. The water was ready for the noodles. Levi had spent weeks gathering the ingredients for this meal, and had spent another two days preparing and cooking the meal. Although most of the ingredients could have been bought in any shop, Levi appreciated the value of fresh-ingredients enough to venture out or grow them for himself. He milked the cow himself (which was given a special diet for higher quality milk), picked the carrots, broccoli, and tomatoes from his personal garden, and had made the noodles from scratch, from starting by collecting the wheat, and finally rolling the noodles into fat, flat strings. But collecting the necessary parts of his meal were not all as easy as going into a garden; Levi also had to travel to find some of the rarer ingredients, such as the orange frogstool. The orange frogstool was a mushroom only found in deeper parts of the forest, so it wasn't a very common part of any meal, even among Uncle's master-cook friends. The forests are rife with danger, but Levi had wanted the mushrooms enough to risk the wrath of whatever beast or spirit that might try to stop him.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
   The young chef had traveled into the forest with another apprentice, Stanick, a boy with a farmers frame and sensibilities who was just getting started, and Porluck Patterns, a retired soldier and assistant-cook that worked for Uncle Kor. They knew monsters and strange beings haunted the forest, and were surprised, and slightly amused to find what protected the grove where the orange frogstools grew. In the center of the grove, a huge mushroom grew from the thick compost of the forest floor, and atop the ancient fungus there lay a brown toad-like chimera. It was frog shaped, but two vestigial wings of dirty amber feathers hung from the beast's back, and a sharp beak poked out from the monster's cleft lip. As the group of nervous travelers dismounted their horses, the frog monster opened it's massive, crusty eyes and sat up. It gave a warning that was part croak, part hawk screech, and made a slapping noise from a stubby beaver tail that protruded awkwardly from it's warted bottom.
   Porluck gave a grunt of disgust, and pulled a long, single edged sword from his saddle.
   "Get the mushrooms, boys! I'll deal with this abomination." Porluck said, as if he was a knight about to face a dragon.
Stanick ran to a patch of fresh frogstools. "It's just an animal protecting it's home!"
   Porluck only grunted, and reached for a large buckler, which may have been painted once, but now the design was long faded. The chimera hopped down from it's pulpy perch, and stretched before advancing towards Porluck.
   Levi and Stanick began to focus their attention on the mushrooms, carefully scrutinizing each one for optimal size, shape and color. The sound of combat echoed through the forest as the two boys studied the mushrooms they picked. On the ride to the forest, Levi described the optimal color, shape, and size of the mushrooms, but every so often Levi would pick a mushroom out of Stanick's pile, and replant it if it didn't meet Levi' standards. This was met with an acidic look from Stanick. When they had enough mushrooms, they put them into soft pouches, which were placed in containers to prevent the frogstools from getting bruised or squished. The two boys mounted their horses and waited for the battle to finish.
   Porluck was getting a good fight from the frog monster, and deep talon scratches left a permanent memory on the shield's worn wood. But the chimera leapt and slapped Porluck's hand with it's flat, leathery tail. Levi and Stanick looked in horror as Porluck slowly retreated towards his horse. Stanick's horror was the idea of losing their chaperon, but Levi's was from seeing the small pistol Porluck was pulling out from behind his back, which had been tucked snugly into his pants. Guns fired lead bullets, which were bane to any magical creature. If Porluck shot the chimera, it would die a painful death, and probably bring unwanted attention to the travelers. Levi hopped down from his piebald mare, and threw one of the canisters of mushrooms at Porluck's hand as he was about to fire. The shot missed, and the sound and smell of the gun firing caused the monster to give out another croakish screech. The creature backed up, but was now giving Porluck a hateful look.
   "Levanarch, You idiot!" Porluck shouted, calling Levi by his full name. Stannick smirked, but Levi was busy pointing at the trees above.
   "Look." Levi replied, and Porluck saw that the canopy was teeming with strange creatures and spirits. Most wore aggressive looks on their faces, itching to attack the intrusive humans should their guardian die.
   Porluck began to stutter, but Levi was busy with his arm buried in the thick soil. Stanick and Porluck gave Levi a confused look that Levi received often.
   "Aha!" Levi said as he pulled his earth-stained arm out of the ground. In his hand he clutched a wriggling nightcrawler that could have been a snake. Levi approached the chimera, whose attention was now focused on the worm that was coiling and uncoiling itself around Levi's arm.
   "I'll give you this worm, King Frog, and then we'll leave. No harm done, we'll just leave." Levi said. The creatures of the forest want respect, his Uncle had told Levi. The beasts and spirits are powerful and strange, Levi had been told, and even the simplest ones can be bargained with.
   The giant frog looked past Levi, at Porluck, who was trying to reload his weapon before Levi got himself killed, and then looked at Levi with the curious gaze only a bird could give. But then the chimera opened it's maw, and a tongue lashed out, snatching the slimy worm out of Levi's outstretched hand. The creature turned, and landed on his mushroom throne in a single leap as it's tiny wing flapping uselessly in the air.
   "You can stop, it would be better if we just left." Levi said to Porluck, and Levi went to retrieve the canister he had thrown. Porluck stopped loading his gun, and placed it inside his saddle-bag.
   Stanick and Porluck shared another look, and then followed Levi out of the chimera's grove.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
   It was almost sunset, and Levi thought deeply about his future. He would continue to work for Uncle, and when he was talented enough, he would open his own place. This had been his future for as long as he has been an apprentice. But Levi still worried; Was being a cook what he really wanted to do? Levi had spent so much time training as a cook, what else could he be? He had been his Uncle's apprentice since he was five (the year his triplet sisters were born) and now that he was 15, he didn't have the education or money to do anything else. At least he could travel for ingredients when he finished his apprenticeship. If he finishes.
   If this meal impressed his Uncle Kor enough, Levi's apprenticeship would end, and Levi would begin his way on becoming a master chef. Levi had spent years developing the recipe for the perche' sauce and noodles, and if it failed to impress his Uncle, he would have to develop another recipe from scratch.
   Levi lifted the pot of water and noodles and poured in into a large silver strainer in the sink. The noodles steamed in the cold air, and Levi gave them a splash of oil so they wouldn't dry out. Levi poured the noodle into a pan, and then dashed the noodles with a mix of shredded herbs. He produced a pair of large, red lacquered chopsticks from his cook's jacket, and lifted a portion of noodles onto an ornate plate decorated with blue clouds in a white sky.
   A thick cotton cord hung nearby from the ceiling, and Levi pulled it. Somewhere, a bronze bell rang, which signaled the completion of the meal. Levi quickly ladled a splash of perche' sauce onto the still steaming noodles. Sadif, Uncle's personal assistant and waiter, came into the galley while Levi stood next the the meal. Sadif wore clothing traditional of the nomads of his home country: blue, baggy pants and a loose shirt that Levi always thought looked like pajamas.
   Sadif gave Levi a looked that conveyed, "Is it done?" Sadif rarely spoke, and it had taken Levi months to figure out what Sadif's looks meant.
   "Yes, the meal is complete, and ready to be served." Levi handed Sadif the plate, and the waiter turned and walked to the door. When Sadif disappeared behind the hanging curtains that lead to an outside dining area, Levi let out a sigh and slid his hands into the front pockets of his coat. His hand felt a carved, intricate wooden shape. It was his personal pepper-shaker.
   The pepper!
   The perche' still needed pepper!
   Levi ran outside, to find his Uncle sitting at the iron table. The meal lay in front of Kor as he slowly mixed his tea. The young apprentice walked briskly to the table, and sat across from his Uncle.
Levi put the stout pepper shaker down in front of his uncle.
  "It's always good to add the pepper last." his Uncle said, and gave the perche' a dash of pepper.
   He took a taste of the red pasta and waited before he began to chew. Levi looked at the sun, which was finally beginning to set. One time, Levi had been told it was rude to watch people eat, but he no longer remembered who said it, or when. After a short time, Kor was finished with the preche' and noodles.
   The wind tossed the uncle's and nephew's unruly hair, and stung their eyes as they stared at the setting sun.
   If felt like forever to Levi. He was so unsure of what to expect. Levi knew it was the best meal he had ever made, but his uncle had a reputation for be unpredictable. But finally, Kor gave his nephew a quick look and smiled.
   "You pass."
   Levi slid down his chair and sighed.
   "Levenarch, you should not be so stressed, do you know why you passed?"
   "..." Levi wasn't sure what to say. He wanted to say that he found and grew the best ingredients, he prepared them correctly, and made a dish he was sure would impress his uncle. But...that's not why he had passed his uncle's test. "I don't know, Uncle. Please tell me."
   "You passed my test because you knew you would pass with this meal. The test was to show me your confidence in your culinary skills, and prove to me you have a talent no one else could notice. But that's not to say you would have passed with any meal. Your abilities are quite beyond you."
   He took a sip of his tea.
   "When I took you as my apprentice, it wasn't only because you're parents needed the help, but it was also because I had a suspicion. "
   "Uncle Kor, What do you mean? I thought you took me as an apprentice to ease my parent's burden; there was no way they could support the triplets and myself as artisans. What other reason could you have for taking me as your apprentice?" Levi asked with a worried look on his face.
   "Well, when you were very young, I gave you a culinary test that you passed. And even though passing the test isn't proof enough; the only way to be sure you have to go through years of training."
   "..." Levi was waiting for his Uncle to finish. Kor was prone tale-telling and speeches, and Levi had always had an uncommon patience for his youth.
"Only after thorough training, could it be determined if I was right. Only now, after completing your final dish as an apprentice, am I sure that you have the Taste."
   "..." Levi gave his uncle a distressed look he had learned from Sadif.
   "It means you have a magical gift, Levenarch, it means you're a wizard."

also, here is some art
this one I drew at the request of Kayla Noyce, but I got carried away.

This one is sort of a sequel to Twin

And this one was a doodle on the side of my physics notes, which I decided to draw fully.
it likes to crush skulls in it's hands.

Oriana

2010-10-06T18:48:00.000-07:00

I finally wrote this story out! I intended it to be slightly longer, with bit more history added to flavor the world, but this is what I ended up with. Please enjoy! And leave a comment, yeah?

"While the after-church party was as festive and forced as every mandated after-church party, something made today even more uncomfortable than all the other after-church parties they've been attending everyday for the past 15 years. Something in the back of their minds had subtly upset the group, and while this was a celebration, it was celebrating nothing. Most of their adult lives were spent in the massive, mechanical cathedrals, and the lunch parties that followed the hours-long service. Most of the adults were drinking too much, excusing themselves because it was Oriana's first time singing in the Church choir.
As the crowd of adults mingled against their will, a girl in a blue dress and black shoes stood outside the wall of people, and smelled the rose she had found at the edge of the patio. In the grass past the patio she had found the rose nestled in a crib of broken glass, alongside a few more heavily damaged flowers. Someone must have dropped a vase, she thought. She was careful to avoid the glass when retrieving the discarded rose: an unnecessary precaution.

   At the sound of familiar buzzing, she looked up, and through the thin, striped tarp she could see two Surveyors flying overhead, their frames a suggestion of aircraft and insect. Sleek, jet-like frames flanked by rapidly vibrating wings, Surveyors are robots that patrol the massive suburbs surrounding the Machine Cities.
   One of the drones notice the girl, and it slowed down to observe her. The mild AI of the drone didn't have enough curiosity or interest to continue observing the girl, and continued surveillance behind it's partner. Leave the important thinking to the Machine.
   Oriana was used to the attention. Robots are always staring at her, often emitting audible puzzled sounding clicks. Even her parents and relatives and family friends will sometimes stare at the girl with strange looks on their faces.
   A few of her parents friends were discussing today's sermon given by Pastor Anthony Mk-1201 regarding the compassion of the Machine for Man. pastor Anthony Mk-1201 was a popular robot in the community, who was often invited to parties and dinners of families who attend his daily service.
   "I really liked how the Pastor emphasized the importance of the Treaty of New York in 2821. Sometimes the religious types don't focus on important dates," said Tom, who liked to read history.
   "But it's not when or what happened in the past that's important," began Allen, who liked to paint, "It's how it affects us now, we- Hank, what are you looking at?"
   Hank, who liked to drink, had a flushed faced that held a bitter grin as he said, "Do you think it can even smell that rose?"
   Tom and Allen stared at Hank, shocked and scared of his behavior. It was dangerous talk.
   "It looks like a girl, sure, talks like a girl, too. But is it anything more than a doll? A mechanical puppet!" Hanks eyes were bloodshot and wet-looking.
   "Hey! That's a terrible thing to say! Of course Oriana isn't a robot, she's flesh and blood!" yelled Allen.
The crowd had grown silent, and everyone was listening. The girl's parents were absent fetching jackets as the day had begun to turn cold. The girl was lost in her own thoughts, ignorant of the crowd staring at her and the drunk man.
   "She's still synthetic! She was made by the Machine! She's as soulless as a toaster!" slurred Hank, as he gestured towards the City.
   Tom, despite being a quiet and caring person, felt like hitting Hank until he bled. Unfortunately, violence was outlawed under penalty of death.
   "Well you better get used to it! Because we all knew that after Bert and Silvia were given Oriana, we'd be soon to follow! Soon there will be Synths everywhere!" Tom said, but even though he mentioned this as a positive outcome, everyone around knew that the gifts of synthetic, artificially created children was the reason they felt so uncomfortable.

Everyone at the party knew that The Machine was providing children to families instead of having the parents give birth to natural children, they all knew that The Machine, who had defeated the human race thirty years ago and forced man to be waited on by robots, and live stress-free and creative lives was making man adopt hybrid children to raise as their own.
A horrifying idea to some.
But no one could deny that on Oriana's first day of choir, she certainly looked beautiful."

Twin

2010-10-02T23:54:00.000-07:00

A Silent-Hill type monster, but the setting is more radioactive. Like a town still suffering from nuclear fallout, along with the whole "pocket-dimension created by a little girl who is a powerful psychic" thing. So Twin would be one of the monstrous residents of the town, and likely a boss monster. Twin would be the guardian of a important part of the hospital, probably the pediatrics, which leads to where the protagonist wants to go. It would be the boss of the area Twin is a monstrous pair of conjoined twins, which attacks intruders with it's massive stumps. The Stumps were originally covered in random digits and tumors, so it chewed the deformed fingers and growths off so it could move more properly. Twin tends to walk using its forearms and rear legs, letting its forelegs dangle. It can also rear back on its all of its legs to make slam attacks with its arms. But Twin is very top heavy, and can be easily unbalanced when rearing on its back legs. AKA that's his weak spot.
In other news, I had my first student chef shift today, which was veggie prep, which consists of cutting and washing veggies, putting them in bags and putting them in a fridge. It's pretty chill, but the shift starts at 8. Ah. After the shift was over, I was sitting in my dorm room, about to watch a movie or something. Then I got a knock on my door, I opened it up and there is a blond girl. She asked me if I wanted to play ultimate frisbee. At first I was like "uuuuuuuhhhh....Where is it?" she told me where it was. After a quick calculation of pros and cons, I said yeah. I told her to let me get dressed first, and then went downstairs when I finished. I see a circle of people and join them, with some quick introduction. The blond girl and a black guy are the team leaders, and they pick teams. I'm on the blond girls team, along with some other people. Of course the black guy picked the two black girls, but fortunately, they were not that great. But soon into the game, we were down 0-3. Fortunately, we began to develop our groove, and quickly we caught up, and eventually won 10-8. We were the total underdogs too. So then I take a shower and do laundry and get dinner. Now i'm watching MST3K, which is an awesome show.

I'm With Crow

2010-10-01T00:35:00.000-07:00

Work was okay today, but with a lame end.

I saw a new friend at work today. She's nice.

Before work I managed to crank this out,

I may do a Tom Servo one, I was thinking Jon Stewart, perhaps the America (The Book) cover, with the eagle.

Still not sure.

New Direction

2010-09-29T23:29:00.000-07:00

I've decided that the only way for me to regularly update my blog was to make it a less personal; I don' really want to share everything with everyone, so I'm turning this blog into an

ART BLOG.

Yes, Instead of infrequent updates that attempt to catch the reader up to date of my day-to-day life. I will post drawings more frequently, with little else sides a short summary or idea behind the drawing.

So I'll share some of my drawings with you. All are done in Photoshop Elements, using an intuos 3 tablet.

If you want to know what I've been up to, I went back to college at UCSB, and now I'm at a dorm again, it's ok.

Just a silly idea.

A monster I drew soon before I left for UCSB

It says "You Could say I'm like Aquaman, except I kill people that make fun of me."
He's called The Nautilus

It's Danbo, you should look it up.

I always enjoy comments

Spring Break Update

2010-03-23T00:09:00.000-07:00

ARRRGH.
I was typing a blog and firefox crashed.
so I'll summarize the unimportant stuff
I did ok in classes, but I procrastinated too much with reading sci-fi and watching internet television. Also, partying. But I've learned to moderate. Also, work sucks, but the money helps a lot. So I applied for a student chef position to make a little bit more money. It's easier to make friends now, too. Next year I'm moving to another dorm(Manzanita Village) that is closer to school, but has less amenities than FT.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
what I would like to talk about now is my new personal art-project, named Gyre, which is a uncommon word for a spinning or rotating mass, mostly associated with storms or hurricanes. Named after seeing the massive storm encompassing the Eastern Hemisphere as colonists neared the planet.
The project includes: the history of an alien planet colonized by humans; the lives of the people who live there now; the strange flora and fauna of the planet; and the interactions between man and the lifeforms of the Planet.

I know it is strange to say you don't know everything about your creation, but it's true in my case. I want to make my world unique without be ridiculous. I want to emulate various artists in my efforts without resorting to mimicry. The challenge is to identify the successes of the evolution of terrestrial organisms, and to theorize how organisms would develop without those advantages, or if such thing seems impossible, how such adaptations would (or could) evolve differently.
While I do not know a lot about my planet, I can share some of my more interesting ideas right now:
-animals that give birth to stunted, midget clones that serve as bodyguards, lookouts, fodder, and nannies. The clones would be born asexually from both the "male" and "female" (the truth being that their would be no gender between the two, but would compete with each other for the right to be the male) and would be sterile and loyal to their parent. The clones would serve as a herd for the parent.
-dimorphism between the young and adult members of a species which includes predatory young that occasionally feed on the adults of their species.
-males that mate by injecting/shooting females with sharp, projectile sperm-packets. inspired by male squids
-females that grow an extra layer of skin to house their young. Inspired by the Pipa Pipa
-A large brackish sea that has a sub-surface mud-lake with strange (well, stranger) burrowing/aquatic organisms. Think of it as a super-estuary.
-organisms rely on echolocation and smell more than sight. I'm currently at a crossroad: have no eyesight at all, or have it be a reduced and less important organ? I had an idea of lamprey-headed dimorphodon, which would fly in packs, ambush large animals, and bite chunks out of the animal before leaving the crippled animal. I think this would lead to an adaptation of light-(or in this case, shadow) sensitive skin or symbiotic plant (which would be justified by already being present) in order to detect the flying terrors before it is too late.
-colonial jellyfish that collect sand and nutrients of symbiotic plants that ride on top of them, creating actual floating islands. Some would be massive, supporting whole ecosystems on their backs. I am unsure what would happen in case of a storm, so I am doubting the presence of animals that are not adapted to swim or fly away in case of danger.
-the planet itself is not comfortable or suitable for normal humans, the gravity is a little off (unsure if more or less, just different) the atmosphere is more rich in oxygen and carbon dioxide, the air more humid, and the temperature higher. Humanity is sufficiently enough to artificially adapt humanity to this alien world. But the chemistry of the life is different enough so that it is impossible to live permanently off of native Gyre life, so humans have brought farm-animals and food-plants to provide a healthy diet.
-humans look pretty much the same, and can still breed with a normal human if one would be present. Some of the internal organs have been strengthened, especially the heart and lungs. Depending on my final decision on gravity, humans may be taller or stockier than Terran humans.
- also, I think I'll include some theropods (bipeds like t-rex and stuff) because their cool. But if gravity is higher, then it would be more unsafe to be bipedal (you fall harder). But whatever.
- most land organisms have six limbs (hexapods) or are tetrapods with adapted limbs. example of adapted limbs: a predator have adapted fore-limbs to serve as an additional jaw structure or fangs. another: adapted hind-limbs to serve as rear defense or a signaling device.
-(this one is not as fully thought out) animals that squirt an irritating substance out of gaping nostrils, and small birds that drink out of their noses like hummingbirds.
-carnivorous plants, including fanged mats of algae and bird-crushing trees.
-an apparent alien life-form that monitors the planet, and has taken an interest to humans: it would look like a gray, well-muscled ungulate that has a flat head full of different shaped eyes and other organs. There would be no obvious feeding organ. It is ludicrously fast and impossible to catch. If cornered, it has a weapon. . .
-lots of worms and worm-like animals. Also inclusion of a lot of symbiotic worms, which may include horn worms that serve as the teeth and intestines for some organisms.
-animals that have evolved to be like plants; that is, immobile and stunted "animal" using a light-absorbing organ. Nearly all of it internal organs, including brain, would be utterly reduced or absent.
now, for some pictures

I haven't sketched all my ideas yet, but I'll share them as they develop.
Please, please, tell me what you think about my project and my ideas. I really need input for this challenge.
I'll try to update more frequently, but I said that last time, too.

Better

2010-02-11T21:57:00.000-08:00

   Yes! new blog post in several months! I'm so sorry that I didn't update sooner, but time flies am I right? I did very well first quarter, 3.64 GPA. and I didn't really study that much or do good drafts for the papers. That isn't working this quarter. I'm probably not doing so well right now, grade-wise. but I can catch up by finals if I do all the reading.
   Work is tiring. Minimum wage and 15 hours a week isn't that bad for this quarter, but man. it wears a guy out. For now I'm going to work not so much, because I have a 15 unit minimum for this and next quarter, but next year, I'm gonna take less classes and probably work more. Because I need money.
   I'm worried that I won't have a place to live next year. I haven't looked or applied to anything, so I'm basically relying on the kindness of a friend who finds a place, which is shitty of me, but whatever. If I don't have enough money, family will back me up, but I'd rather do it myself. UGH I'm in such a shitty place right now. Classes are kinda crazy, but also I have to do financial aid too. And Spring break is a crappy two weeks! UC's should have 3 weeks in between every quarter. Whatever.
   Anyway. I love the iPod I got for Xmas, I listen to it all the time. I like some more obscure stuff (not so much heavier music) but with only 800-ish songs, my music list is kinda light.
Besides reading and internet, I have a far more nerdier mode of procrastination: writing and drawing maps for a Dungeons & Dragons campaigns for friends and family back home to play. It's fun. It is like writing lite. I get to be creative without having to worry about audience.I get to combine my love of world- and creature-building into a entertaining game.
   So I want to update more often, book reviews, etc. I love you all.
especially you. you know who you are.

college update

2009-10-14T10:20:00.001-07:00

i rally enjoy college, this week is a little nasty, and I have some reading to catch up on, and i'm stressing out a bit, but I'm ok. It's raining a lot, so I'm procrastinating leaving for class.

here
http://marty-party.deviantart.com/
go here to check out my art, or something

Good Week!

2009-10-02T19:06:00.000-07:00

I had a good week, I'm doing my homework, reading on time(ish) and liking my teachers and their T.A.'s., which provide good discussion and lectures. I'm a little low on physical cash, but it's fine. I'm going to start working on Sunday! I'm not 'on' the schedule, but I can cover other peoples shifts, so on Sunday I'll be the Bakery[Blade] Runner from 10:15-3pm, and on Tuesday I'll be doing dinner dishes, and Thursday night I'll be on Pizza duty (not cooking, moving it around and cutting it up). I'm excited and nervous, but if it gets in the way of school too much, I can leave. But it would be nice to have some coffee money...
Speaking of which, I went to a local cafe, called Caje...I know...but it's really nice, i had a good ice-blended coffee, but it was so big!...but I had a coupon =P I drank it while I read the school newspaper, The Nexus. I still had a hour to kill so I decided to doodle, but I was skeptical. Lately I've been having bouts of Artist Block, recently I did a drawing of Paul May, it's good too, but other things are not so good. I need to learn how to draw better angles, and more realistic people. As i was sitting at my table by a window, I remembered an online tutorial for drawing dragons, I forgot most of it except for the beginning skeleton step. so i drew a dragon, it was poor quality, but something was there. I drew another and I think it was great, then I packed up and went to class. After I went to school and waited for my next class. 2 hours...lame. So I drew another dragon, better than the first, but still needing improvement. I really like drawing them, and I really enjoy the coffee place, good atmosphere. and i would rather support a local place rather than a big corporate one, ya know? Next year I would like to work there, it would be cool. And my experience in the dining hall would surely help.
here are the drawings!

the first good one:

the second good one:

enjoy!

Brutality

2009-09-29T23:03:00.000-07:00

today was kind of a hassle. I was almost late for class, I thought it was one of my 2:00 classes, but it was my anthro at 11:00. I didn't take a shower or brush my teeth, yuck. If I would have I would have been late. Afterwards I went on a huge freaking adventure in search of the Holy Writing 2 Course Reader. Prof J. Ramsey, my writing teach is pretty cool, but he's a little out there. He said the reader would be in the textbook area of the UCen, 'twasn't. The UCen said IV Bookstore may have it. Nope. IV Bookstore said Grafikarts or AlternativeCopy may have it. Nope. Luckily this lovely girl from alternative copies gave me a makeshift map to a location near the UCen called Student Resources, and they did have it. I need to thank her, probably ask her out for coffee.
=]
I really enjoy the songs Casimir Pulaski Day, Here I Dreamt I was an Architect, Boy With a Coin, and Somewhere Only We Know.
I'm gonna sketch until I go to bed.

Self Portrait

2009-09-28T23:08:00.000-07:00

One day, this is what my self-illustrated autobiography will be called

Sometimes I have Super-Powers
the final version will probably have a back-ground, or something.
I really like the wording, like it means a lot of different things at once.
I want to draw some more, but I think I'm done for today, I did some doodling before Anthro today, of zombie/mutant busts with a ballpoint, nothing really skillful, I need to regain some creative spark I've misplaced.
Anyway, I think I'll regain the spark soon, I can feel it, I just need to [insert analogy here]. Ya know?

I really want to learn how to draw people better.
Main Goal.
Ok, I think I'm done.

Yes!

2009-09-19T23:22:00.000-07:00

my new room.

    oh my god. My parents were probably the last parents to leave. I'm so grateful for that, I love them so much. Some people told me their parents bailed early, and I couldn't handle that if my bailed on me. I understand it's easier for some, but for me it was hard. I was going to immediately go to a dorm-party, but I needed a breather, so I went to my room and assembled a fan, which was hard with shaky hands. After I texted my mom, I felt better. Then I talked to about eight different people from my residence hall and made friends; everyone was very nice and although some were more confident, their was an underlying awkwardness from being scared. We were all scared, but for some it's easier.
   I know now that i can't just visit during the holidays, I'm going to have to visit in a couple weeks.
   I have a pretty cool room-mate. And I haven't met anyone I dislike yet, but it's cool. Soon.
I was kinda paranoid when I moved in, I got here early, and when I finished I stashed all my stuff. And I get back and Erick's stuff is out in the open, trusting I guess.
but you know, Hope for the Best, Expect the Worst
I also got a really funny idea I need to draw. Later!

College Time

2009-09-19T06:35:00.000-07:00

Moving Out today.
Scary.
Financial Aid Problems are fixed, bills payed.
It's weird seeing your stuff in boxes, your room stripped of your belongings.
I'm not sad, especially since my house always smells like cats or smoke.
But whatever, I wonder where I can find a party tomorrow =]

Sci-Faiku

2009-09-13T20:14:00.000-07:00

a sci-faiku is a haiku that focuses on science, rather than nature.
also, it tends to be more relaxed with the 5-7-5 rule. Comments appreciated.

Lonely Robot
Surrounded by ice,
My master's dead, frozen
Peak efficiency.

Optimism
The bombs fell,
Radiation and Plague,
Now I can fly.

Regret
Built to destroy man,
I can kill with my thoughts,
Who will stop me?

Alien Ways
When my son was born,
He picked me up and we ran,
My wife was hungry.

Gravity
A simple home,
Spinning like a top,
So we can stand.

thanks, don't forget to leave comments, try to make some up, too!

Nerd Venn Diagram

2009-09-11T15:32:00.000-07:00

I'm a nerd. Hopefully I can eventually be a geek, if I gain some more 'eptitude. I can think of a lot of people from school that fit into these categories. Some dorks and dweebs, a lot of nerds, not many geeks. If I want to be a geek, I'm gonna need to get one of the super-phones.

Countdown

2009-09-05T13:34:00.000-07:00

College in a few weeks.
Some problems with financial-aid are scaring me.
I might have to take a big loan if I can't get my financial-aid it by the 15th.
I need to get off the internet and do some drawing, but it seems I'm have another artists-block.
oy vey ist mir
Good news though, I got an awesome residence-hall, it's on the seventh floor, but whatever. Also, it has it's own bathroom! well...I share it with three other guys but whatever.

Otay Ranch

2009-08-22T09:15:00.000-07:00

I was there yesterday, my mother and I went to the Apple Store there because my mother bought a fake ipod touch for my brother and wanted to know what to do about it. The really fucked up part is that we are currently "strapped" for cash, and my mom was saving money for Milo's birthday present. Then this random dude at my mom's friends pharmacy shows up with electronics that are discounted because he "works" in a "distribution facility." My mom had no idea what an actual ipod touch looks like, so she didn't think it was wierd that this one had a camera, or just didn't look right.
What really sucks is not that my mom got robbed of $100, but that they guy knew my mom was hard for cash, and that he knew it was a gift for my brother.
I might not believe in heaven and hell, but I'm pretty sure this asshole is gonna get what he deserves. It sucks how awful some people can be in this world, and it sucks because my mother and I like to think most people are good, but people like the counterfeit-guy make me lose hope.

Anyway, the ifake touch has an actual touchscreen and seems to work, it even has a working camera, but we havn't hooked it up to the computer yet so we are currently unsure.

In Otay Ranch it's like the freaking Valley, even for more asians in bowl-cuts. why is that bowl style popular now with Asian dudes? It looks stupid. I didn't know there was such a style as wannabe Emo. I guess rich Asians don't have much to be depressed about.
"Oh no, Papa's Beijing-Noodle stock fell eight points!"

Yeah, every other groups of people were Asians, and every other other group were white kids in skinny-jeans.

I actually laughed when i saw a Banana Republic, I thought they were gone because they became a cliche'. I'm surprised I didn't see a HotTopic, maybe it was just hiding in the shadows somewhere.

Magnum Opus?

2009-08-19T23:31:00.000-07:00

I hope not! that would mean it's all downhill from here. here's a really good drawing i finished last night.
click to see it better

District 9

2009-08-17T08:36:00.001-07:00

Was very, very good.
It might even win an award for next years Hugo awards.
hmmm...well, I'm also back from my orientation, which was great, by my feet were so sore when I got home.
My classes are
Physical Anthropology
Academic Writing
Political Science

=]

I'm Back

2009-08-15T22:50:00.001-07:00

UCSB and new blog title
lovely

Off to Orientaion

2009-08-13T11:29:00.000-07:00

Soon I shall depart to UCSB, which is in all likelihood, probably the best school to have ever existed anywhere at any time. Mostly because I'm going there. I'm also going to register for classes, which is going to be scary. I want to take a science, english and an art class.

Also gonna take a ID picture and suchlike.
Mostly boring stuff but it's still important.

well then, here's some drawings

some alien drawings

2009-08-10T12:40:00.001-07:00

comments would be nice

Comic

2009-08-05T19:41:00.001-07:00

I made it. =]
it's not my Schadenfreude comic, but it's still funny...well...funny-ish

3 Movies

2009-07-22T23:05:00.000-07:00

watched Garden State and I Love Huckabee's, and a weird sci-fi called Dark City.
i thought they were very good
I'm sure Kayla would enjoy Garden state if it wasn't for Zack Braff, who wrote and directed the movie.
I can't even talk about ILH, it was too strange
and Dark City was good, you can watch the whole thing on veoh.com if you download something. Whatever, totally worth it.

Books

2009-07-21T18:40:00.000-07:00

Books I've read during the summer break:
Dark Tower 1: The Gunslinger, Stephen King
Dark Tower 5: Wizard and Glass, Stephen King
Insomnia, Stephen King
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
The Gripping Hand, Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
Ender's Shadow, Orson Scott Card

books to read:
Duma Key, SK
Hearts in Atlantis, SK
Lisey's Story, SK
other Dark Tower novels by SK
The Demon-Haunted World, Carl Sagan
Purgatorio, and Paradiso, by Dante
etc.

For a second, I would like to tell you about Insomnia, the book of course. I don't remember when I first read the book, but I was obviously a different person. I didn't take from the book from what I took today when i finished reading it, all of it's 787 pages. At the end of the book, the protagonist Ralph Roberts sacrifices himself to save Natalie, a six-year-old girl who is almost his grand-daughter. He does this knowingly, and he made a deal with...well, someone who decides when you die, to trade his life for hers. He sacrifices his happy life with his new wife and beagle. He lets himself go so that he can give life to someone who hasn't lived yet. My grandfather has told me that he has cried at the end of novels, but I didn't think that I ever would.
I feel like a wuss, like a cry-baby. But I guess it's good. It was a great novel, and it helped me discover that personal sacrifice is a virtue that I respect.
I would probably be a Christian if it wasn't for all the other stuff that sucks about Christianity. That's why I'm a Pastafarian. at least, that's what I tell others.

Comic -_-

2009-07-16T23:47:00.000-07:00

I started to do one, but it's just so awful with only a touch-pad. I don't even have a mouse. So I should get a touch-pad, but then I may not have enough for a kayak. So I think I'll get a mouse, and a kayak, and then later get a touch-pad.
also, I've been playing dnd more...why do I feel guilty when I say it? Is it a confession of my nerdiness? I need more nerd friends that blog...any my character is a...who cares...sure he has a gun he can shoot spells out of...but that's not gonna get me brownie-points with the ladies. Maybe a kayak will.
I'll also take photos when I kayak, so I'll share it here...probably.
So...
yeah

Dichotomy

2009-07-14T23:54:00.000-07:00

I'm happy and excited to go to college
but I'm scared, too.

I still have a lot of graduation money =]

plans:
bank account-check
drivers license-soon
scuba license-weh
buy a kayak-soon

movies to see:
Transformers 2
Hurt Locker
Funny People
they look good, especially the latter two, I want to see the robot one just for robots

I'm glad I'm bored of video games, it's allowing me to read more, but lately I've felt like a home-body. I rarely get out, but I'm also eating way less. Which is good, I suppose.
I'm checking craigslist and ebay for a good deal on a kayak, but seriously, they're expensive. I'll probably have to settle with an inflatable one...probably a cheap one too. Which is lame because I was hoping to do some fishing too...accident to happen.

I need a job.
oh well, at least I don't have to go to school this month

This is for Rose

2009-06-27T20:55:00.000-07:00

Paleontology, if only

2009-06-26T15:36:00.000-07:00

ha, this is what paleontology textbooks would say if the editors were dinosaurs
haha

seriously though.

dinosaurs would totally take all the credit for my survival...not the fact...you know what? I'll stop before I kill the joke

from SMBC

Do work, son

2009-06-26T13:39:00.001-07:00

Well, if I want to be a writer I'm going to have to do some writing.
I'm kinda scared though, the last stuff I wrote was crap, and it shames me. But I was younger, and I guess I know more now, but I'm not sure I know enough to take myself serious. I want this so I'm not gonna forget, I promise to write something, and I promise to post it, even if it's shit. So please read it once I do it, and give me advice, and hopefully you guys will help me become a better writer.

<3

Memorial Service

2009-06-20T13:15:00.000-07:00

Today we are having a service for my grandmother
for family that didn't get to be there for her when she passed.
My grandpa wouldn't even have one if it wasn't for family.
I kind of agree with him

~~~~~~~

I read my first summer book!
took me less than a week!
I read book one of the Dark Tower series, The Gunslinger, by Stephen King

now I think I'll read Purgatorio, by Dante
and then Paradiso, by dante
and then [hopefully] book two of the Dark Tower series, The Drawing of the Three
I wish I had a kindle...wait
no I don't

YES

2009-06-19T12:53:00.000-07:00

"Turn the clock back 3.4 billion years, transplant North America’s Lake Champlain to the floor of Mars’ Shalbatana Vallis, and you have a pretty good idea of what a team of scientists says it has uncovered on the red planet.

The find suggests that substantial amounts of water pooled and persisted on the martian surface hundreds of millions of years later than many planetary scientists currently estimate, the team says.

Moreover, the images the steam studies bear witness to a vast delta that would have formed when water gushed into the valley to form the lake. This would have been prime real estate for microbes, based on what biologists have learned about microbial ecosystems buried within Earth’s river deltas.

Images from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s HiRISE camera and topographical data from the Mars Global Surveyor orbiter’s laser altimeter sealed the deal, according to team leader Gaetano Di Achille. He’s a planetary scientist at the University of Colorado at Boulder. The data, he says, provided “the first unambiguous evidence of shorelines on the surface of Mars.”

The formal report of the results has been accepted for publication in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

By the way, it’s hard to get an idea of what the team saw from the images we can post here. For a closer look — a much closer look — download and explore the full images from the HiRISE web site.

The team estimates that in its heyday, the lake covered 80 square miles and reached a depth of some 1,500 feet.

Planetary scientists have been hunting for such so-called paleolakes of this decade as NASA Mars missions have continued with their theme of “follow the water.” But until now, no one has been able to provide anything resembling smoking-gun evidence for ancient shorelines in other possible lakes — including two sites NASA is considering as landing spots for the Mars Science Laboratory, now scheduled for launch in 2011.

Shalbatana Vallis is one impressive valley. It’s some 800 miles long and about 12 miles across at its widest point. To the north, it drains into a vast basin. And, a bit like Arizona’s Grand Canyon, it has a handful of smaller valleys that branch off and lead upward to the surrounding highlands.

One of these, an 11-mile long side valley, is thought to have been the funnel through which at least one, and perhaps several, extreme floods flowed to form the lake. The telltale delta — formed as flood-borne sediment fanned out as it reached the valley floor — took at least 1,000 years to build, Di Achille’s team estimates.

With only one clearly identifiable shoreline, the team posits that the lake met its end either by draining fairly quickly or by freezing over, with the ice subsequently going from frozen to water vapor without passing through a liquid stage. This process also would have prevented new shorelines from forming as well.

Achille explains that most researchers hold that any warm, wet climate the planet enjoyed would have ended about 3.7 billion years ago. After that, conditions on the planet’s surface prevented water from gathering and persisting for significant periods of time. The new results suggest that significant amounts of water could have pooled on the surface far longer based on regional conditions, even if the overall climate no longer supported the presence of large bodies of standing water."

AWESOME...but really, it would be crazy-difficult to look for billion-year-old microbe fossils. I'm excited that we can theorize what mars may have looked like, but that information has no value unless we can use it. I know you can do science for science's sake, but maybe we should do something with more impact. You know what...

FUCK MARS

NASA needs to stop acting like a bunch of Goddam retards and forget moon missions and a manned mars mission. Manned missions are difficult, dangerous and costly. We need to go to Shalbatana Vallis, and do tests to see if there are underground aquifers orsomething like that. we have a rover that just rolls. we need something that can dig too. Or maybe a rover that has a balloon and motors so it can fly instead. Whatever, what I really REALLY want is a rover to go to Europa

Europa is a moon of Jupiter, it is covered with Ice, and we can see cracks and valleys in it caused by tidal shifing from Europas [likely] iron core and Jupiters massive gravity. The tidal flexing of the planet almost garuntees that there is a liquid ocean. The planet also has an atmosphere that is mostly oxygen that evaporates from the ice. I don't want to write another essay on Europa, so trust me. This is where we need to go, this is where we should focus all our astronmical and aeronautical genius. This is the most likely place for life to exist.

Life already exists without light on our planet, they are focused around hydothermal vents, which likely exist on Europa as well.

in other news, my grandmother passed away on Tuesday, we are having a service on Saturday, I got new books in the mail, and I'm reading the Gunslinger.

Also I'm scared

Oy Vey ~ what happended today

2009-06-16T17:10:00.000-07:00

Oy vey (Yiddish: אױ װײ), or just oy, is an exclamation of dismay or exasperation meaning "woe."The term in its present form is borrowed from Yiddish,and is often described as "defying translation'' or being an "untranslatable expression" but which is described Random House Unabridged Dictionary as being "used to express dismay, pain, annoyance, grief, etc."and the Oxford English dictionary describes it as an "exclamation used by Yiddish-speakers to express dismay or grief".

Man...I am so, so sad. My grandma died today

she's gone
we took her off life support at 9:30 and she died at 3:15
she had a blood clot in her heart
the doctors told us there was no chance
and it took six hours for her to die
My Big Grandpa, Marty, is heartbroken. He's felt so much grief is so short a timecan you imagine how hard it is for him? To go on without his wife? And after one of his sons died a couple of years ago?

He's heartbroken

I'm worried about him, but I think he's worried about my mom.

the last time someone close to my mom died, she went on a month long drinking binge and quite working. And that was my father when I was in 10th grade

right now she doesn't have a job, and she's not willing to give up 18 months of sobriety. My grandpa has almost no one left. He has my family (eh) and his son in San Fransisco, and sister in Indiana, but he also has lots of family in Texas. I think he should move and be around family. Old Cowboys don't do well when left to their own devices. They need support and something to support.

I know that other people have problems of their own, but damn, so much f**king death

Oy f**cking vey

I'm stress out and want to both starve myself and consume mass quantities.

I need to do something to really relax, because if I don't, my eye's are gonna explode

party

2009-06-13T12:05:00.000-07:00

I'm having a grad party today, so much family and food
i already got $200 in graduation money well as a pimped out binder full of paper and supplies (from my uncle) a huge pad of paper to draw on (from his 'friend' haha) and a fruit juicer/cutter/metal tornado rapped in plastic... he doesn't look gay, but some of the things my uncle does:
-lives in San Fransisco
-gave me a juicer
-healthy lifestyle
-has an asian boyfriend name J-Y
but he's very sweet, love's my brother and I so much, and he's very subconscious about it, J-Y is always his 'friend', when ever he gives us a present, he's nervous because he's afraid of rejection.

Anyway, I have a grad party today, it should be cool. It's in Spring Valley, and hopefully the weather is nice.
Graduation was great, the speeches were nice, and nothing went horribly wrong.
my name card got pulled out of my hand by the wind, so I freaked out
do I ask April to grab it or do I get it? hurry Marty, the wind, the wind, Marty, THE WIND!
So I got up and quickly snatched it before it could go farther. I took a bunch of pictures with a bunch of people, including Alexis Web. She wanted a pic with me for some reason, hmmm, do you think she was mocking me? THAT BITCH!!!! ha ha ha
I went to two parties yesterday, one at Missa's house, which was kinda dull, nothing to do because it took an hour for them to get ping-pong balls, and even then, I don't play beer-pong because I don't drink and I'm not the biggest fan of mono.
So then I went to a party at Paul May's, it was almost over, Everyone I knew had already left except Paul and some of his family. Anyway, at least today will be better.
If there are going to be any Summer party's, let me know. =]

Marty Party...duh

oy vey

2009-06-11T19:14:00.000-07:00

Graduation
finally

Update ENGAGE

2009-06-05T16:19:00.000-07:00

I finished school today.
how awesome.
And I made CSF and got better grades than I thought I would.
I got awesome messages in my yearbook.
I'm going to miss everyone, and I'm looking forward to college.
I'm going to ask someone out on a date, hopefully she'll say yes
I'm graduating next week and that Saturday is my Graduation, which will have food and live music =]
hopefully friends will come, but everyone seems too busy for Marty, oh well, at least family will be there.
I got $75 dollars left and I don't know what to do with it, petty cash for a date? I don't know, save up for a tablet or buy Spore Galactic Adventures or the Fallout expansion packs or clothing? ugh, I think I'm going to try to get a job, maybe at Gamecrazy or Cold Stone Creamery? My future is like a huge map with hundred of locations with no names, I can take a path, but I don't know where it'll go. It's scary not knowing the next step

Also, last Wednesday i went to an Offspring concert at SDSU. There was two opening bands, "Street Dogs" from Boston, and Alkaline Trio. They were both ok, but the Offspring were very good. They played all of their best songs as well as some of their newer stuff, including "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" One of my favorite songs.
here are the lyrics
Show me how to lie
You’re getting better all the time
And turning all against the one
Is an art that’s hard to teach
Another clever word
Sets off an unsuspecting herd
And as you step back into line
A mob jumps to their feet

Now dance fucker dance
Man he never had a chance
And no one even knew
It was really only you

And now you steal away
Take him out today
Nice work you did
You’re gonna go far, kid

With a thousand lies
And a good disguise
Hit ‘em right between the eyes
Hit ‘em right between the eyes
When you walk away
Nothing more to say
See the lightning in your eyes
See ‘em running for their lives

Slowly out of line
And drifting closer in your sights
So play it out I’m wide awake
It’s a scene about me
There’s something in your way
And now someone is gonna pay
And if you can’t get what you want
Well it’s all because of me

Now dance, fucker, dance
Man, I never had a chance
And no one even knew
It was really only you

And now you’ll lead the way
Show the light of day
Nice work you did
You’re gonna go far, kid
Trust, deceived!

With a thousand lies
And a good disguise
Hit ‘em right between the eyes
Hit ‘em right between the eyes
When you walk away
Nothing more to say
See the lightning in your eyes
See ‘em running for their lives

Now dance, fucker, dance
He never had a chance
And no one even knew
It was really only you

So dance, fucker, dance
I never had a chance
It was really only you

With a thousand lies
And a good disguise
Hit ‘em right between the eyes
Hit ‘em right between the eyes
When you walk away
Nothing more to say
See the lightning in your eyes
See ‘em running for their lives

Clever alibis
Lord of the flies
Hit ‘em right between the eyes
Hit ‘em right between the eyes
When you walk away
Nothing more to say
See the lightning in your eyes
See ‘em running for their lives

Pretty cool, Huh? Anyway, my favorite song is Paranoid Android, by Radiohead

Prom

2009-05-31T17:02:00.000-07:00

Prom was awesome.
I danced way more than I thought I would.
I had so much fun, and even though I probably looked like a dork, I don't even care.
My tux was cool, my hair was cut and styled.
I had good shoes.
I danced with:
Maria
Sarah C.
Letty x2 =]
Mia
Jessica C.
Claudia
Missa
Karin
and others.
I know I didn't go with a date, but that's great, because I could dance with anyone without getting anyone jealous. One girl I know only danced at the end because her date didn't want to dance, and couldn't dance with anyone else for fear of making him jealous.
All the girls I saw were beautiful, and luckily I didn't have a date to catch me staring.
I decided not to attend any after parties, the ones I knew of were at strangers houses and alcohol would be involved, and that's not my thing.
So I went to bed a 2:00 (early for some of you party people) and woke up at eleven, sore and with a shit eating grin on my face
black girls and Mexican girls can really dance =]

R+G

2009-05-29T08:12:00.000-07:00

Marty Loftin
Mr. Barker

Final Exam: Recommendation
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

One work I found particularly interesting was Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, a play that centers on two fringe characters from Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is an inverse of Hamlet, in that all the primary characters of Hamlet have become minor characters, and that the minor characters are now centralized. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern struggle to feel independent in events larger than themselves, they want to make decisions and have choices, but because of the writing of Hamlet, their fate is already predetermined. In there life, there is no chance, or anything that could prevent any of the actions that will happen. The plays portrays insignificance on a personal level, we expect main characters to be important, to make a difference, but in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, we are faced with unimportant main characters who are destined only to die. And when they attempt to change their fate, they only fail: Rosencrantz (or is it Guildenstern?) attempts to save his life by stabbing the lead player. The knife was a toy, but of course it was a fake, how could it not be a fake? The sad truth is that the duo often discussed their fate and how they could just leave and not be involved with the problems at Castle Elsinore, but of course, fate makes them go with the flow. They are the personification of destiny; nothing they can do will push them away from their predetermined death.

The duo’s dialogue helps to push show us their wish of free will, but outside events make them conform to predestination. In the end, it didn’t matter what the duo did, because there role made little difference and they couldn’t even save their lives. It’s very existentialist, I know, but isn’t that feeling something we feel every now and then? That no matter what anyone does, they still die in the end, and everyone is eventually forgotten. It’s depressing, but still matters to try to live longer and try to make a difference, because even if you die young, you still lived, some life is important than none. The one good thing about Tragedies and life is that no matter how someone lived and died, it’s still a story to someone. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern may have died, unable to diverge from fate, but their life and death is remembered in play and cinema, they may be nobody characters (most people in this world are nobody characters) who sit on stage without dialogue or action form time to time, but that’s what makes them real to us, they relax and talk, not in unrealistic soliloquies but in conversations. They are unlike Hamlet and co. in that they are not always talking or being eccentric or in deep emotion. They are normal. They want to be different and die their way, but almost no one gets to choose how they die, except suicides. This play is not only the revelation of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, but also an appreciation of life, and the acceptance of death, which is the same as life, just different.

WORKKS CITED

2009-05-28T22:50:00.001-07:00

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor,OccupationalOutlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, Biological Scientists, on the Internet
Career Builder, Salary Calculator tool
State University of New York at Stony Brook, Becoming a Marine Biologist Jan. 29, 2009
Wikipedia, Marine Biology, 28 May 2009

Occupational Outlook Handbook 2008-09, National Employment Matrix, employment by industry, occupation, and percent distribution, 2006 and projected 2016,
NASA, Astronaut Job Brochure,
Bigelow Aerospace, Careers

Wikipedia, Microbiology, 27 May 2009
Wikipedia, Tardigrades, 26 May 2009
Wikipedia, Extremophiles, 23 May 2009

Research Paper

2009-05-28T22:44:00.000-07:00

In the uncertain future, to be successful you need more than one possible career path, for economic upheavals can lead to ruined lives. By having a multitude of possibilities at hand, success is almost guaranteed because a failure can be replaced by something else. I plan on a career in marine biology, which unto itself opens doors to a plethora of career choices, “careers [such as] environmental conservation, fisheries protection, water management, environmental consultancies,” deep-sea exploration and other entertainment based careers, like dolphin training. But I also have interest in careers involving microbiology and astronautics. Microbiology is a booming industry that can lead to creating drugs, brewing better beer and wine, genetic engineering, and research of microbiotic mysteries, such as “Tardigrades,” or the “Treponema primitia flagellar motor.” The third career I am interested in is becoming an astronaut, but preferably not NASA, who doesn’t have lucrative or important priorities other than launching more satellites. I would be a commercial astronaut, working in space for profit, it could be breeding plants and animals to survive in zero gravity, mining local asteroids for metals, or chaperoning tourists. Since this kind of career is just taking off,

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there are many opportunities for the commercial astronaut. Companies like Bigelow Aerospace offer high pay and medical, dental, vision, PTO, and a 401k for experienced persons in a multitude of academic fields, including microbiology. The beauty of choices like marine biology, microbiology and astronautics is that I can pursue all of them without sacrificing the other career choices.

Marine biology has held my interest since late Elementary School; I was fascinated, not with charming dolphins and smart whales, but the advanced camouflage abilities of cuttlefish, octopi, and other cephalopods. And by then I knew that scientists have only studied 2% of the ocean, and that 71% of the planet is covered with ocean, so there must be other, stranger organism in our oceans, and since viewing Planet Earth and reviewing more recent deep sea explorations, my earlier hypothesis was proven right from the discovery of hydrothermal vents and methane seepage that allows unique life to flourish. This career choice is brimming with competition, but 49% of all marine biologists work in fisheries, Commercial Aquariums, Sea Worlds, or in Wildlife Conservation, each of which has some interest to me, but not nearly as much as deep sea exploration and invertebrate zoology, each aspect to a diverse marine biologist. The average salary of a marine biologist is about $34,000 in the US, but in areas like Santa Cruz, the average is $45,000 and can be as much as $57,000, and this excluding research grants and private investments and donations from companies like NOAA. To be attractive on the job market, a PhD is incredibly helpful, especially if you want funding in private research from federal and private sources. Competition for grants is brutal, 1 in 4 federal grants are accepted, and with the economic downturn, even less is

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being given, increasing the completion. Becoming a marine biologist won’t only require me to understand aspects of oceanography, biology and ecology, but also the federal process for filing for grants so I won’t have to pay someone to do it for me. This unique career is wrought with possibilities, but I’m going to have to work to make sure to flourish without government aid. My dream as a marine biologist is to help study or discover life in our solar system, especially the Ice Moon of Jupiter, Europa.

Microbiology is the study of microscopic life, invisible to human eyes but important nonetheless. All ocean biospheres would collapse without plankton, and bacteria in plants roots couldn’t convert harmful Ammonium (NH₄⁺) into Nitrates. I’m interested in these tiny beings because many can do things that even conventional technology. The study of microorganisms known as extremophiles interests me greatly, these organism thrive in environments that are almost unlivable for most beings, places with incredibly high or low pH, incredible pressure, poisonous substances, or places of extreme heat or cold. One such organism is the Tardigrades, small, incredibly unique organisms that can survive intense radiation, cold, heat, pressure, and can survive in the vacuum of space. Not only do microbiologists get to study and work with unique creatures, but they also have a hefty paycheck. The average microbiologist earns $73,000 annually, some earning as much as $113,000 annually. This career is growing with each passing year because we are learning so much and the market needs more individuals to study microorganisms and adapt them to be useful. Most people involved in high-level microbiotics (genetic engineering, pharmaceutical purposes) require an MSc, or for independent research a PhD in microbiotics. This career isn’t nearly as adventurous as

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becoming a marine biologist; this career is wrought with lab-work, paper-work, and mathematics, but the impact this career holds is massive. Who knows, I may bioengineer bacteria to convert poisonous gases to Oxygen and Nitrogen, allowing for the eventual terraforming of planets like Mars. Or I could study the possible alien microorganisms that could live in the deep ocean trenches of Europa, which could possible resemble the black smoker habitats of Earth.

Astronautics is a forgotten career, forgotten after the passing of the Cold War. But there are still many astronauts in the US, although the US space program NASA is slipping, soon Japanese and other Europeans will develop advance space programs, as well as privately owned Aerospace Companies, which are in constant demand for qualified individuals to assist in missions and pilot spacecrafts. Companies such as Bigelow Aerospace offer over $60,000 for people with over ten years experience researching or hands experience with, astrophysics, biochemistry, microbiology, nanotechnologies, physics, propulsion, stealth technologies, biopsychology (Biological Cognitive Interactions), or electromagnetic fields. With Bigelow, I could be a microbiologist and an astronaut. And with the multitude of other Commercial Astronautics, it’s safe to assume that some companies may even be interested in marine biology. To be a NASA astronaut, you have to meet some physical requirements, including a blood pressure below 140/90 while seated, 20/20 vision (eye surgery can be done, but to apply it has to be at least a year since the surgery, so in order to apply I’ll have to get eye surgery and lower my blood pressure. If I have a doctoral degree, I meet the 3 year experience requirement. I will also need to meet a

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multitude of mental exams, so I don’t end up like Lisa Nowak. I would like to do research at the International Space Station, such as how to grow microbes in zero-gravity, breeding animals and plants, and physics tests with marine animals moving in water. Can a fish swim in space?

With my research of marine biology, microbiology and astronautics, I learned that marine biology is much more competitive then I previously believed, which causes annual earning for marine biologist to drop. Supply and demand: if there are more marine biologists, employers can pay less money. After researching microbiology I have possibly found myself a double-major or at least a subject of interest during college. It’s an incredibly interesting career, that pays well, but I’m not sure if I want to be stuck in a lab for eight hours a day with a robot for company. My discoveries of becoming an astronaut have given me some hope, I originally was very doubtful of going into space, but now can see a solid path that has good pay, adventurous, and will play to my scientific needs. But I still wish to become a marine biologist, but I’m going to have to expect it to be more complicated than my original plan, and to diversify my college experience to be able to have a healthy and wealthy future.

Über Update

2009-05-21T16:33:00.000-07:00

The Senior trip for Poseidon Academy was awesome, but unfortunately, I cannot attend Grad-night. Too expensive for too little
We drove to Big Sur, visited UC Santa Barbara, and saw some adolescent elephant seals. They were overly aggressive for creatures that forgive so quickly. When they moved they looked like giant worms, and smelt like a wet barn.
We camped, I cooked Breakfast and Dinner on Sunday, I served a Belgium couple their first American hamburgers (quite the honor) and everyone told me they enjoyed my cooking.
Also, I didn't have to do any dishes. I hate doing the dishes. Really. I stayed up and talked with Helen and her friend Janet, quite a pleasant surprise. They hung out with us at the camp.
Mrs. Ashley was funny. She kept telling us stories of her adventures in college and South America. Then I started poking fun at her. "This one time, in Belize, I was......." a lot things like this.
We went hiking, by the end I was exhausted, but I was glad I did it, I got to see purple sand.
How Bizarre, I know.
By the end I had massive blisters and limped a lot.
When we went home we drove for about 8 hours and listened to so much music. Thank the benevolent FSM that we disn't hit LA traffic.
I also fell in love with the Santa Barbara enviroment. It's cool and calm and misty/foggy most of the time. It's great.
I didn't want to come back home =[
When I got home, exhausted and such, my Mom made me visit relative and stay till nine. That sucked, and made me feel like a child. I'm 18! I know it was people who I haven't seen in 8 years, but I can't honestly be that important to Rick's family. Ugh, next time, I'll make sure to assert myself.
And the next day I had to go to school, to AP Calculus.
But luckily, school is almost out! YAY.
I'm going to miss my teachers
and my friends, but I'm so looking forward to going to college, it's going to be Super-Duper!
I got as yearbook
I got books in the mail =]
I would really like a date for Prom, but I don't know who's available or even who would want to go with me, and I'm afraid to get shot down again...

Here's a thought. Plastic comes from petroleum, petroleum comes fossil fuels, which come from Dinosaurs etc, do you ever think that the Dinosaurs thought they would be turned into condoms?
I hope so, for that's a fate worse than HELL

Quick Match

2009-05-11T14:56:00.001-07:00

Today at break I played some Magic, it's a nerdy card game, but it's really fun.my main deck is pretty good, and rarely loses. It's based off of tree-folk, which don't have a high attack, but a huge defense. My deck includes cards that make my tree-folk indestructible, make them stronger and make them come back to life if they die, and others that destroy other creatures and one very special one DORAN, THE SIEGE TOWER
Doran is great in this deck, he turns my powerful defenders into overwhelming attackers. Well, today I played Devon, one of Hunters friends.
He was overconfident in himself, so I knew right at the beginning I was gonna put him down a peg. I didn't have the greatest hand, but I made it work. A few turns in, he thought he had the upper hand, but then I brought out Doran, then Timber protector, who made all my tree-folk stronger and indestructable. Each turn I would play more tree-folk, while he was stuck with elves and wolves. Once he began to stall for time, I knew it was almost over. I was just waiting for an opening. Finally, I knew what I had to do.
Attack him with everything at once!
BAM!
He was struggling to comprehend that this game was lost.
Sometimes that's what you need to now to be good, is to know when you lost. But you also need to know that there is a chance. Fight to win, not at frivolous card-games, but at life. Fight for what you want, work with what you got, concede when you're gonna lose, so that you have time for another game.

Hopefully my nerdy habit hasn't lost me any respect.
It's a a strategy game
and it could make me some money
No, not playing for money, but being an artist for the cards
The game require high level quality artwork, not like Pokemon, or Yu-Gi-Oh! Which have repetitive artwork that is unimpressive, as well as a poor system for playing. Yu-Gi-Oh! doesn't even have rules for how to play multi-player! How ridiculous!
How preposterous!

AP Tests etc

2009-05-05T16:16:00.000-07:00

I've already done the AP Gov, I'll probably pass that
Tomorrow is AP Calculus
Not so sure if I'll pass that one.
Thursday is the AP Literature test
I'm optimistic on that one
and next week is the AP Chemistry class
Hopefully I'll barely pass that test
then my schoolwork becomes a joke, and all I'll have to do is focus on Calc so I don't fail, and thus get dropped by UCSB

I got a new computer and soon I'll post artwork and comics
so stay tune!

SHOOP DA WHOOP

2009-04-14T18:22:00.000-07:00

school is so intense right now
but i will succeed
it sucks my SAR is messed up
whatever
gonna get a new PC this weekend
maybe I'll finally be able to play SPORE

COLLEG-Etc.

2009-03-27T11:20:00.000-07:00

i should have posted this sooner but I'm going to college
I'm going to UCSB
I'm so happy
I look at some people who are just so depressed like their lives are garbage
ugh, over dramatic.
Well, my family know and my friends know

I'm really enjoying High-school right now, but I'm kinda nervous
Not on scholastic properties but social ones.
See, there's this girl...
What? I can't be the romantic?
We've been friends for years and I think there's a spark, but...
I want to take her to prom, at least, at most I want to date her but I don't want to ruin our relationship by misinterpreting it. I want to ask her soon, because prom is in a few months, but I don't know if she already has someone to take her.
You know what?
I'll do it today.
I'm still scared, but I don't want to regret not asking her.

Academic League was tops, we finished strong and showed some teams who's boss, but we started poorly and lost some easy victories, oh well.

I need to scan my comics to put on this damn blog, as well as my deviantArt profile.

For my birthday or graduation present I'm going to ask for a new computer, something stronger than my f**king anemic laptop. I also would like a tablet to draw easier on the computer
touch-pads SUCK
Photoshop would be cool too, but I can probably get that for free.
I would also like a vehicle of some sort, probably a small car
=O
but for now a bike is fine
it's greener

?

2009-02-28T15:59:00.000-08:00

I think because I edited my profile a bit that people that subscribed won't get updates, so when you see this, you should subscribe again

FAFSA/Goals/Coraline

2009-02-22T17:47:00.000-08:00

I did my FAFSA earlier, I'm glad to get it out of the way
Soon the money will come for college
it's scary thinking I have only three months of High School left
and I'm still a virgin
it's shameful
but really not that big of a problem
the thing is, I'm stuck in friend mode with all the girls I know
which sucks
But college will be better
Meet new people, new friends, parties, etc
I wonder where I can get some ruffies...
hmm?
I'm kidding, rape is wrong, and Sex Offenders should be neutered.
Like misbehaving dogs.

In college I'm gonna focus on Science, most likely Biology/Marine Biology
I'll take writing and art classes as well, to hone my skillz.
I'm so looking forwards to Santa Barbara, It's such a beautiful campus

I'm going to miss my High School friends, but honestly? I wanna get the Hell outta Dodge.

I wanna go and be a new person
I'm not gonna act incredibly different
I just enjoy the novelty of making new friends and creating new friendships

Well, I saw the movie Coraline last week and I really appreciate it, It was incredibly similar to the book I read years ago and I felt nostalgia in remembering little details

about this wonderful book/movie.
Also it is scary. People think that claymation/puppetry means that it's for kids.
Well, it is for kids I suppose, but parents should read the book first, and then let the kids read it, then give the book to a friend and let them read it. It's a really good book, and the corruption of the other characters was much more obvious than when reading, also, I appreciated the psych-out climax(no laughing) that made some audience choose to leave the theater early...poor saps.
Also, their is an addition of the character 'Whyborn', who is not is the novel and is chiefly a dialogue mechanism for Coraline

This Movie is the continued advancement of more and more novels being evolved into films. I guess that is what every writer is going for, a big corporate check so they can live on easy street, but it also shows the lack of creativity for modern screenwriters. I love reading and writing and books in general, but I don't like it when people don't read the book because they saw the movie.
That pisses me off big time.

When I was in first grade, I read a books called Shrek
it was different, but very close(no mini-prince or were-ogress)

Books I know will eventually become movies:
1. Ender's Game Series (at least most of them)
2. Good Omen's
3. Most novels for Young Adults and Children.

The Cost of Human Life

2009-02-09T16:22:00.000-08:00

I had to be a philosopher again.

is this why we are in Iraq?
is this why Cheney is a primary investor of Haliburton?
Are the leaders of our country bad people?

Is your life important to you?
Is your families lives important to you?
Your friends?
If their lives were in danger, you would try to save them?
Wouldn't you?
If you couldn't save them, imagine how defeated, how broken you would feel.
How cheated that you are out of reach to save their lives.
Imagine how they feel, that they could have been saved, but no one would, or no one did, or if no one even tried.
This is misery
and hate

Can you put value on a life?
most say no
but most people are liars.
would you give anything to save your dying mother? to save her?
you just but value on her life.
the human life has so much value that it is valueless. And people kill hurt those they love, those they hate, and those they don't even know.

The president may not shoot the terrorist
But he killed him
He put the protection of a nation above the cost of a terrorist's life.
Do you think he would do the same to you?
You betcha

Many people support the War in Iraq, Iran, or Afghanistan, because they value there own lives above those of people that had nothing to do with 9/11.
Everyone involve was from Saudi Arabia, and many hid in Afghanistan, a mountainous country notorious for it's opium farms. This is probably where Osama bin Laden is. We will never find him.
So we will kill as many terrorists as we can
To protect ourselves.

But we are actually begetting more enemies than before and funneling our money out of the country, crippling ourselves.
we need to go where our help is truly needed
Africa.
These poor people
they were stolen for their bodies
and killed for their land
and corrupted for their loyalty

They need the help
they ask for it
but the capitalist says that costs too much money, and then looks away.
Bastard

anyway
everyone is bad
but some people are good too
I'm not asking you to save everyone
at least save yourself

because it's unlikely anyone else will
unless you're a white kid
then the whole fucking nation will go up in arms to find you
because you're more important than the thousand of orphans in Africa
Fuck
People Fucking Suck
Hobbes was right
Disgust

New Comic/ New Name

2009-02-06T19:33:00.000-08:00

I've created a comic that I'll be posting here soon
it's called schadenfeude, which is a German word that is the joy you get when bad things happen to other people
it's not as evil as it sounds
it can be as simple as someone tripping or as complex as hitting a three-legged dog with a rolled up newspaper =]

the comic is a classic kid+imaginary friend kind, with the main character based of yours truly and his imaginary friend, Bol, who is...not human.
you'll see it soon
I promise

Movies to see:
Coraline =]
The Wrestler
Slumdog Millionaire
Curious Case of Benjamen Button
The Watchmen
Taken

Things to buy
Fallout 3
Books
Whatever it takes so I can play SPORE
a didgeridoo
balloons for valentines...ugh

1984 is a great book

the plot twist near the begining of chapter 2 was INSANE

Also, I soon plan to start doing book reviews

IMPORTANT!!!
if you want cheap books, tomorrow, Saturday, February 7th, their is a book sale at the IB public library. So GOGOGOGOGOGO!!!

ps. I love you
pps I'm gonna apply for a job at GameCrazy, wish me luck!

Etc

2009-01-24T12:21:00.000-08:00

My grades were decent, I have to question Dr. Cole's decision, for he made a really bad one with one of my friends. Luckily, one C isn't gonna ruin me, so I'll make CSF and be able to graduate in white. =]
that's what most people care about anyway
I can raise my grades by next progress report, I just need to study/do more outside of school.
Lack of discipline I suppose.

Grades:
AP Calculus_______________B
AP Government____________C
AP Chemistry______________B-
Teacher's Aid______________A
Comprehensive Health________A
AP English Literature_________A
Academic League____________A
not so bad, heh?

I've been painting
they're not very good, right now I'm trying to discover shading and shape
it's very hard for me
I'm used to pens and pencils and thin controlled lines.
I haven't discovered how to achieve detail yet, at least not detail
I've been thinking about learning to spray paint too, maybe I'll become a tagger.
Laugh it up

I rented Fallout 3 for the XBox 360. It is really, really fun. There is so much choice in your character that you cannot help but feel like part of the game. It sounds nerdy/geeky, but it's true, I felt similar feelings towards Fable 2. RPG's are awesome. More people should enjoy games where you make so many decisions that change the game.
Are you a Sadist? or a Saint?
Are you a Lover or a Fighter?
Good/Bad
swords/guns
smart/dumb
weak/strong
right/wrong
With RPG's These are not limitations, they are attributes. Video games are trying and winning to be the dominant form of entertainment, but they always have an end, a stop sign where you see the credits, a point where there are no more missions. Even with MMORPG's there is a restriction of what you an do.

And then there are table-top RPG's. Games like Steampunk, Dungeons & Dragons, or GURPS. They do not end unless you want them to. A single campaign can span years, character development never ends. These games are needy because you need an actual person to be the dungeon master/ storyteller, not a voice in the background of your video game. These games cost less than Video games, but require more input from the player. When making a character, you get to decide a lot. Really, your character is as unique as a real person is. Only your character can shoot fireballs and curb-stomp mutants.
Playing in a group is the best.
It is a similar experience like Native American storytelling around a campfire. Except we are the story. TTRPG's [table-top role-playing games] are great experience's that you'll always remember.

OK, so there is a stigma against them, but so is everything to someone else. You need to move past from what others say, and try to enjoy yourself. You only have one life, why not waste it playing with someone else's. TTRPG's are great. If you want to play, cool, just ask.

May the benevolent Noodles of the Flying Spaghetti Monster embrace you in Love and Joy that he share's with all his Pirate Children.

Zombies

2009-01-19T14:06:00.000-08:00

Zombies.
My Greatest Fear.
My Hope for the future.
There are many different concepts for a Zombie Armageddon. I wish to share some different possible types of undead (or not!).

The Classic
The most common zombie is recognized in the Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z.
It is slow, dumb, and killed by a head shot. You MUST destroy the brain or the zombie is still technically undead. Cutting off a head doesn't kill one, it only leave a useless corpse and a biting skull. The Classic cannot infect animals, they only die. As do those that consume zombie flesh. Classics cannot drown and it takes hours to burn them to death. Classics have somewhat heightened senses, and can sense living being even if all senses are removed. Does that make sense? You can run away from a Classic easily, just make sure not to run into any, for Classics tend to moan and howl when they spot prey, attracting more zombies to that location. Classics cannot starve to death and do not digest the food they eat, and if they eat enough their stomach will burst. Classics slowly decompose, but rate of change depends on temperature, humidity, and other factors. Egyptian Zombies will last a long time, as would Arctic Zombies, though Arctic Zombies entire body would freeze during the colder months. Hiding from Classics depends on a few things
a) Shut the Fuck Up
b) High Ground is good for you, especially in Urban environments. Classics cannot climb and stairs are a challenge, a blockade is good defense.
c) Learn to shoot a fucking gun

The Retro
The Retro is pretty much a smarter zombie. These are the guys that moan "Brrrraaaaaiiiiinnnnss" all night long. Some can talk, use guns or weapons or plan traps. They obey "Night of the Living Dead," rules. These guys are the most unrealistic kind of zombies, usually they are the result of Science gone wrong, dark magic, or Hell being full. Retros can be killed more easily then classics, but are still stronger than the average human. Retros can break through walls and have a knack for finding people hidden in closets. And if you're running away from a group of Retros, make sure you don't fucking run into another group. You'll look retarded.

The Parasite
The Parasite comes in many forms, from large head-crabs from the Dimension of Xen, to the worm-like Las Plagas. Head-crabs are an organism that looks like a large tick with a mouth on its belly. It jumps onto a persons head, bites the person and kills them by crushing their skull and piercing their brain. The head-crab becomes a new brain for the body and can control the body. The head-crab changes the body to become more hunter orientated, such as elongated claws that sprout from the fingertips and the mutation of the victims rib-cage. The chest split open, revealing the stomach and rib cages that have become spikes for hug attacks. Their are three kinds of head-crabs, the normal tan variety, the quick pale head-crabs that turn people into fast zombies that can climb buildings and jump great distances, and finally the black, poisonous HC that release a deadly nerve poison, when attached, the zombie becomes a host for several other black head-crabs that wait on the zombies back.. When prey is near, the black HC zombie chucks a HC at the prey, killing them and creating another zombie. HC's are extremely vulnerable to explosions and fire, but the traditional crowbar to the dome works well too.
The worm-like Las Plagas control their host from the inside, the worms work themselves into vital organs and parts of the nervous system. LP depend less on the host then to most kinds of zombies, for example, a head shot may not always kill an LP, the headless torso will reveal the worm emerged from the neck, sometimes a clawed worm will emerge, sometimes a toothy maw, others spout a spider-like creature that can detach from the host.. LP can be controlled by specially infected individuals, sort of like a queen bee controlling the workers.They are almost as smart as normal people, and their semi-hive mind makes them very powerful in large numbers, Most people infected with LP appear to be pale and very aggressive to those not infected. LP can communicate with each other and will immediately attack non-infected individuals. The LP is very amorphous, and can mutate wildly depending on person and species. Fossils have been found in Spain the emit spores that can infect people, luckily, we can remove the parasite with new laser technology. We can completely remove the parasite before it's too late.

Techno-Drones
Technology is going to destroy us all. We know it, and we just continue to go along with our slow suicide, hopefully our machine over-lords will find some purpose for keeping us alive. An example is the Borg from Star-Trek. They are smart, organized, and may carry advanced technology=weapons. Hopefully it's only an advanced form of the Classic zombie type. Scientists have already created a fully artificial virus made from silicon. No one has immunity to it so anyone could be infected. Luckily this robo-virus is a pussy, and being infected has no symptoms or disadvantages. This still can be a powerful weapon, you can tag on any kind of effects you want, from permanent blindness, to diarrhea, to a virus that controls its host to want to bite other people, spreading the robo-virus through saliva and into the blood. This is a simple version, but it could get as complex as the Borg. Depending on how the techo-virus operates, you could be scewed or really, really screwed.

Viral
28-Days Later.
Fast Zombies that can vomit blood.
Quick infection time (minutes, the others can take days, maybe even hours), and the infected can die of starvation.
Some people can become carriers of the Rage/whatever virus and infect others. Most mammals can be infected, especially primates.

SPACE PARASITE
There is also they extremely rare kinds of space parasite, which are aliens that control the person and posses even greater ability to mutate it's host. Some examples of SP's is The Thing (that movie that take place in the North Pole) has an alien that infects the host and mutates quickly to adapt to the situation. The only weapons that work on The Thing is explosions and large fires. The Thing can consume other organisms and grow very large if not killed. There are also the SP from Dead-Space and those from Dark-Sector, but these being are still relatively unknown. (meaning I have not played those video games yet).

If you have any more ideas about new or different kinds of zombies, you can leave a comment.
ps there are telepathic/telekinetic zombies from the novel Cell
there are fast Classics and Special Mutant Zombies from Left 4 Dead
and there are Ju-Ju voodoo zombies from Haiti. Voodoo zombies are only poisoned and drugged individuals that do not spread any kind of infection.

The Near Future

2009-01-17T14:16:00.000-08:00

I'm kinda upset how society is becoming.
Everything on the News is so biased.
Commercials are getting really stupid
Movies are getting better and better special effects...but sacrifice plot and realistic characters.
Video-games are becoming the lives of many people.
Art itself can be forged through photoshop, and real painting tools cannot seem to compete with photoshop wizards.
People are reading less and less.
I LOVE books, my room is spilling with novels, and people look at me when I read for fun
*Gasp*
I'm kinda hoping some kinda apocalypse will occur when people will need to be smart to survive
I'm personally hoping for a zombie outbreak
Or aliens or whatever to get natural selection back into the human system.
I've been reading some H.P. Lovecraft lately, he wrote horror stories and created Cthulhu, a dead but dreaming God of Madness from another planet. he look like this

Lovecraft was a sickly young man who had a sheltered child hood

His stories are strange and have surprising climaxes, the only bad things I can say about him is he's kinda longwinded (or is he simply building suspense?) and he is very, very racist. But I don't really care, he was raised in a time where it was ok to call Black people Negroes and Asians " The Yellow Masses." Also, if you wish to read his stories, bring alsong a Thesaurus/dictionary. Cthulhu has been through a lot. RPG games in his honour, webcomics about him, and plushies made in his likeness. I own one of them.
Isn't he cute? I got him for $10 at Comic-Con. Along with a Cthulhu fish magnet I cannot find.

Ugh, finals are next week, I'm nervous, I don't care if I do really good, I just don't want to bomb any tests. Especially Math and Chem. God I hate Calculus, May the FSM help me to pass.
Well, I feel I have said enough, until next time folks

ps Sialorens party was great, it's funny to see how your friends act when drunk/high, and it's amusing to see how paranoid they can be when the Fuzz show up.
Laff

First One

2008-12-24T13:58:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking about making a blog for some time, and I've finally decided to make one. I understand that my opinions do not matter, unless I file an amicus curiae brief. This is probably gonna go unread for some time, so it would be cool if someone left a comment, it would boost my self-esteem. Once I get my laptop back from the shop, I'll be able to scan my comics and artwork to share here and on DeviantArt.
I want to let you know right now that if you're religious then you'll probably get mad at me.
this also applies to : gays, lesbians, people with lisps, blonds, British people, Lost-fans, people in college, people from Red States, slutty girls, Celebrities, and lots of other things. I'm very insecure, so I have to make-fun of things to feel good about myself.
sike.
I'm awesome, smart, funny, enlightened, and cool. I make fun of things because I can. If your feelings are hurt then you should grow some balls and get a fucking funny bone, you bitch....sorry. But seriously, Why So Serious?
note about religion: I think that most religions are ok, and appreciate what church and religions can do for people. But stop thanking him for everything, you scored high on your test, you ran that fast, you had sex, not Him/Her/Shlim/Shler. Also, I hate, absolutely HATE religious nuts, violent worshippers, ignorant faithfulls, and people who spred religion through fear and hate, or practice through fear and hate.
I prefer something more peaceful, something better
...something.......tasty.
That is why I am a practicing Pastafarian.
Learn more at The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster
Finally, everyone, have a happy holiday, and a very Merry FSMas.